Grandparent Carers Funding

A support network for grandparents bringing up children because of drug abuse is to be set up in London.

Adfam, which supports families affected by drug misuse, has been given £100,000 by the City of London Corporation’s City Bridge Trust.

This will fund a grandparent carer co-ordinator to set up support groups across the capital. It is hoped this will lead to the development of a London-wide grandparent carer network.

This would provide advice, counselling and emotional support by bringing together people suffering the same experiences. Vivienne Evans, chief executive of Adfam, said: “There is currently a chronic lack of support and a host of complex problems facing grandparent carers. The money will go a long way towards rectifying this imbalance.”

The money will be spread over three years. By the last year it is hoped the network will be established and the support groups will be able to run independently as self-help groups.